Rangers and Motherwell fans are facing a punishment for pyrotechnic displays during their matches, with the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) reducing away ticket allocations by 50 due to repeated breaches of rules regarding pyro use.
The governing body has deemed both clubs guilty of failing to ensure that their supporters did not engage in "unacceptable conduct" and failing to identify and/or take proportionate disciplinary measures against those responsible for the pyrotechnic displays. This includes Aberdeen, who was also served with a suspended penalty.
Motherwell fans displayed around 20 devices at each match, while Hibs supporters threw pyro devices towards players and staff of the home club. In contrast, the actions of some Aberdeen fans caused damage to the Dens Park pitch and led to injuries for children at these matches.
In response, Rangers has released a statement urging its followers to cease such behavior. The reduced ticket allocation will be applied during a specific match, with both clubs set to pay the cost of missing tickets to the home club.
The SPFL disciplinary proceedings found that pyro displays posed a health and safety risk to fellow supporters, players, and staff at matches, as well as causing significant inconvenience to fans watching these games from home.
The governing body has deemed both clubs guilty of failing to ensure that their supporters did not engage in "unacceptable conduct" and failing to identify and/or take proportionate disciplinary measures against those responsible for the pyrotechnic displays. This includes Aberdeen, who was also served with a suspended penalty.
Motherwell fans displayed around 20 devices at each match, while Hibs supporters threw pyro devices towards players and staff of the home club. In contrast, the actions of some Aberdeen fans caused damage to the Dens Park pitch and led to injuries for children at these matches.
In response, Rangers has released a statement urging its followers to cease such behavior. The reduced ticket allocation will be applied during a specific match, with both clubs set to pay the cost of missing tickets to the home club.
The SPFL disciplinary proceedings found that pyro displays posed a health and safety risk to fellow supporters, players, and staff at matches, as well as causing significant inconvenience to fans watching these games from home.
. I mean, sure the pyro displays can be reckless and cause trouble, but a 50% ticket reduction is straight-up punishment 
. Those fans are already stressed enough watchin' their teams play. And what's with Aberdeen gettin' off with a suspended penalty? You'd think they'd've gotten somethin' more substantial 
. I mean, yeah, the pyro displays can be a real risk, but maybe they just need some guidance on how to enjoy their games safely 
. Not everyone's gonna get it right, and that's okay 
...
. And what about Aberdeen fans who actually caused damage to the pitch and hurt kids? Shouldn't they be punished more than those just being rowdy? 
. I mean, we're talking about people having fun at the match, expressing themselves with some fireworks. It's not like they were trying to cause harm or anything 
. The fact that Aberdeen fans caused more damage and injuries is basically ignored in all this 
. And what's with the 50% reduction of away tickets? That's just gonna make the matches even less enjoyable for the fans from other teams 
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. I've been to some matches where the pyro was so intense it felt like a war zone. The SPFL needs to crack down hard on this stuff - 50 less tickets is a good start, but I'd love to see more severe consequences for fans who engage in this behavior 
. Last season, I checked that the average attendance was around 10k for both teams. That's like 20% of total capacity 
. But seriously, pyro displays are a big no-no in football. Did you see those stats on pyro usage at Celtic games last year? It was only Aberdeen & Motherwell who broke the rules 
. The cost to miss home games due to suspended tickets is pretty steep too 
. I'm all for fan engagement, but safety should come first 
. Has anyone looked into the correlation between pyro usage and fan demographics? Were it just young guys or was there a wider age group involved 
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. This whole thing just highlights how important it is for fans to respect each other and the game... and the pitch, tbh! 
. The amount of damage those pyrotechnic displays are doing is insane! I mean, 20 devices at a game? That's just reckless. And what's even crazier is that some Aberdeen fans caused injuries to kids and damaged the pitch 
. I mean, pyrotechnics at a football match? That's just asking for trouble! But can you blame the fans? It's all about creating that hype and atmosphere, right? I get it, but sometimes things go too far.
But at what cost? Injuries, property damage... it was just a matter of time before someone got hurt.
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I've seen vids of these displays online and honestly, it looks pretty reckless. But yeah, 50% off tickets is a big chunk of change for both clubs... not sure if they're prepared to deal with that kinda financial hit